Stupid Thought
by RandomDarkness
Summary: Killian Jones had a stupid thought that might just have changed his life... (why can I never stop at one chapter? I swear it's properly finished now!)
1. Chapter 1

Emma clung to the rigging with both hands as the ship descended into the great maelstrom. Even as she opened her mouth to scream, and tasted salt, she saw Hook at the helm. His feet planted firmly on the deck as though magically welded there, his hand gripping the wheel and his hook hauling against the pull of the current on the rudder. The _Jolly Rodger_ sank below the surface of the water off the coast of Maine and was surrounded by green light and tearing winds whipping stinging sea water into Emma's eyes.

The pitching and lurching was completely unpredictable, and while the others had thought to tangle themselves in ropes and rigging, Emma had thought to make do simply holding on... when the ship pitched forward violently and her feet left the deck, she screamed and lost her grip.

"Emma!" Several voices yelled at once, and she felt herself snared painfully as Hook snagged her clothing with his hook and hauled her against him, pinning her between his body and the helm.

She scrabbled for purchase, something to hold on to, and nearly reefed the wheel from his grasp. "Don't grab the wheel!" He yelled over the roaring around them.

With no other option she turned against his chest and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, planting her feet between his. He wrapped his left arm around her and held her tightly, maintaining control of the ship with his right hand. "Why aren't you flying away too?" Emma yelled in his ear.

"She's an enchanted ship, I'm her Captain... don't worry Swan, she's not going to throw me." To their right, Charming was trying to untangle himself from the ropes without pitching Snow over board. "Stay where you are, Prince!"

"Emma!" Charming called, one arm reaching for her across the impossible distance.

"Have a little faith, Charming! I wont let her go." Hook glanced down at Emma's face for a moment before returning his concentration to the ship. "We keep ending up like this."

"Why did you come back?" Emma asked, her mouth close to his ear and her voice raised to be heard above the noise.

"Because I had a stupid thought." He half laughed against her hair.

"What was that?"

Hook tore his eyes away from the green, swirling magic around them long enough to catch her eyes. "I stupidly thought you'd die if I didn't..." His arm tightened around her and for a moment, Emma thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he threw his head back and called out "Hold on! We're breaking through!"


	2. I'll never be done with you

_I'm done with you_

The waves had settled unnaturally fast, leaving a smooth, blue expanse away to the horizon, where Neverland's main island was silhouetted against the sunset. Emma lifted her face from where she'd pressed it into his shoulder to protect her eyes from the spray.

"We're here? We made it?" She asked.

_I'm done with you_

"Seems so." Hook pointed with his free hand, "Lower the anchor. It's a bad idea to blunder about on the island at night."

"What? We can't, they've got Henry!" Emma protested.

"Yes love, and they took him. They didn't kill him. You're no good to him if you get et' by a beast, drowned by a mermaid or otherwise interfered with by any of the wild and wonderful things that infest this place." When she opened her mouth to argue he shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder. "I lived here for a long time lass, you're going to have to trust me. This land is... it's madness made flesh. Now I will get your son back for you, you have my word, but it's not going to happen tonight."

"He's right miss Swan. They've taken him for something, and I don't think it was to control us..." Mr Gold disentangled himself and shook water from his hair. "They've no way of knowing we could follow them. Surprise may be our best weapon at this stage."

Emma looked around helplessly, but the faces of the others while sympathetic, said clearly that they agreed with him. "I don't know where he is... I don't know if he's hurt, or if he's scared..."

_I'm done with you_

"Hey," Hook put his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. "He's _**your**_ son. I saw you defeat a Giant. I saw you save a doomed town. He's even half the warrior that you are love, we'll go ashore tomorrow and find him waiting for us with his assailants hog tied..." He gave her a lopsided grin and tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger. "There are trunks with clothing below, I suggest you all get dry, while I try an' remember where I put my bloody maps. I wasn't really planning on coming back here, and I never was one for filing."

It was only then that Hook realised he still had one arm securely around Emma's waist. After a moments indecision he gave her a cheeky, suggestive smirk before slipping his arm up her back and finally releasing her.

"Why aren't you drenched?" Regina asked, squeezing water out of her scarf.

With a wide smile, Hook reached out and patted the helm. "Enchanted ship."

"Are you and I going to have a problem... Captain?" Mr Gold paused insultingly before using the title, as though it were beneath him to say it.

"Depends on how you define problem, crocodile." Hook tilted his head to the side and regarded Mr Gold with cool, calculating eyes. "I gave my word, and I will keep it." He moved closer, so that only Gold would hear. "I'll help Swan get her son back, and then I will get them home, and I'll take whatever risks are necessary for them... but not for you. This is a dangerous place, crocodile, and most of the locals wear skins."

_I'm done with you_

"You've put yourself in a bit of a bind there deary..." Gold smiled and learned forward, uncomfortably close to Hook's ear. "She will never love you..."

With a calm expression, Hook lifted his chin defiantly and met Gold's eyes. "You say that like it matters, when we both know better."

"Hook? Did you find those maps?" Emma asked, coming up from the hold in a pair of brown leather pants which were just a touch too big, and a billowing white cotton shirt.

"Coming love, if everyone would assemble in my boudoir." He gestured to the Captains cabin and swept past Emma to throw open the door.

"Hey." She stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and he turned and looked down at her. "Thank you... for coming back. I ah," she swallowed and fiddled with cuff of her shirt for a moment to avoid looking at him. "I'm sorry, about before, about leaving you..." she looked up at his face and swallowed hard. "I don't know if I could find Henry without your help and... and I'm glad you changed your mind, about being done with me..."

"I have this nagging feeling I'm never going to be completely free of you and your bloody noble family..." he gave a short laugh. "Ha, done with you? Bit bloody late for that now lass, isn't it?"

As he walked away, she turned to Mr Gold and looked at him steadily. "Don't antagonise him, OK? He's the only one who knows his way around this place."

"Is that the only reason?" He asked knowingly.

"... I made a mistake, Gold. I think... I think things might have gone differently if I hadn't been so, so paranoid. If I'd just taken his word to begin with. But I needed to get back to Henry, I needed to be with him and I wouldn't take any chances. Well that's come back to bite me in the ass now, hasn't it? He asked for my trust, and I spat on him, and now if we're going to get Henry back I need him better than I gave him credit for."


End file.
